PESHAWAR – The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has decided to remove the provision granting lifetime blue passports to its members, according to reports.
The Assembly’s Standing Committee on Privileges reached key decisions regarding amendments to the Members’ Privileges Bill. Under the revised proposal, lawmakers will receive blue passports only for the duration of their assembly membership instead of a lifetime facility.
A meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Speaker Suraya Bibi, who also heads the committee. During the session, members discussed a proposal to issue special assembly identity cards to lawmakers while considering the removal of similar cards for their family members.
Reports said the committee also reviewed proposed changes related to media regulations in the privileges bill, with plans to introduce some relaxations. However, it was decided that all existing privileges and expenses of the speaker and deputy speaker would remain unchanged.
The decision to end lifetime blue passports has reportedly raised concerns among some members of the provincial assembly.
According to assembly sources, the amended draft of the privileges bill will soon be finalized and presented to the provincial cabinet for approval before being submitted again before the assembly.
The review of the bill follows directions from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who had asked Speaker Babar Saleem to reconsider the proposed privileges package.
